A California CEO has been arrested and charged with orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot targeting a businessman in Mexico, a scheme that allegedly stemmed from an unpaid debt. The investigation into Marcos Arturo Kleiman Tronllan, 40, the CEO of San Diego-based MoneyFlip LLC, initially focused on money laundering activities.
Federal prosecutors allege that Kleiman used his currency exchange company to evade federal reporting requirements and facilitate the transfer of proceeds from drug sales. Undercover agents from the US Department of Homeland Security made contact with Kleiman in February, inquiring about his willingness to convert money derived from illegal activities into cryptocurrency.
During these interactions, Kleiman allegedly offered to pay undercover agents $40,000, plus two $5,000 advance deposits, to carry out the killing of a Mexican businessman over a debt. Federal prosecutors stated that in early July 2026, an agent informed Kleiman that the victim would be killed regardless of payment status and requested a second $5,000 deposit to "reserve the savages." Kleiman reportedly responded by stating he would prepare the funds within two to three weeks.
On Tuesday, agents presented Kleiman with staged photos and a video purporting to show the victim being captured, tortured, and murdered. An agent told Kleiman, "They already killed the guy, so those people need to get paid." Kleiman allegedly replied, "count on it."
The following day, Kleiman reportedly made a $5,000 cash payment and transferred an additional $25,000 to an undercover agent as the final payment for the murder. Kleiman, a lawful permanent resident and Mexican citizen, faces a murder-for-hire charge, which carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.